The syntheses of novel octa- and tetra-substituted systems based on tetrabenz[a, c, h, j] anthracene are reported. The disc-shaped octa- substituted material exhibits a columnar mesophase, whereas the tetra- substituted material exhibits a lamellar phase. Binary mixtures of the two materials were examined in order to explore the change over from discotic to calamitic behaviour as a function of concentration. At the crossover point, the possibility of the formation of a biaxial phase was investigated.
The syntheses of novel octa- and tetra-substituted systems based on tetrabenz[a, c, h, j] anthracene are reported. The disc-shaped octa- substituted material exhibits a columnar mesophase, whereas the tetra- substituted material exhibits a lamellar phase. Binary mixtures of the two materials were examined in order to explore the change over from discotic to calamitic behaviour as a function of concentration. At the crossover point, the possibility of the formation of a biaxial phase was investigated.